What Goes on Behind the Scenes When Your Patient Needs a Forensic Psychiatric Examination

November 11, 2026

This presentation will be an ONLINE VIRTUAL LIVE broadcast on November 11, 2026, from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT. While this activity is LIVE and can only be viewed during the time specified, the evaluation will be available online until December 9, 2026. Go to the Register tab above to learn how to participate for continuing education credit, watch the broadcast and download the slides.

The views and opinions expressed by this presenter in this lecture are their own, and do not represent the views of Sheppard Pratt.

Most clinicians do not routinely conduct forensic psychiatric evaluations, but almost all clinicians will work with some patients who are involved in a civil or criminal legal process. Having a better understanding about what goes on in relevant forensic psychiatric assessments can help inform clinical practice. It can also help clinicians better support patients through a legal process that can be complicated and stressful.

Dr. Armontrout will review how forensic psychiatrists assess emotional damages claims in personal injury lawsuits. Dr. Armontrout will also review two common types of criminal evaluations relevant to mentally ill people who commit an act of violence: appropriateness for mental health diversion and assessment related to Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity pleas.

Dr. Armontrout will also discuss how forensic and clinical examiners have different missions, methods, and ethical duties and how clinicians can approach patient or attorney requests to act as experts for their own patients.

Target Audience

This activity is intended for physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and other mental health professionals. 

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, attendees will be able to:

  • Describe how a forensic psychiatric assessment differs from a routine clinical encounter.
  • Define the basic methodology used by forensic psychiatric experts when assessing claims of emotional damages.
  • Analyze how mental health conditions may impact handling of criminal claims.

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Price: Free. All courses offered through Sheppard Pratt are free of charge. There is no need to cancel if you cannot attend or complete a course, as no refund is necessary. Not completing an activity acts as a cancellation. 

For more information on how to participate in this course, please read to the bottom of the page to review all of the directions. 
For directions on how to participate in the program, refer to the FAQ page.

To participate in the interactive synchronous distance learning format course, you will download the handout, watch a webcast of the live broadcast hosted through Notified, and complete the required pretest, posttest, evaluation, and attestation for credit. Once you have completed all the components of the Course Progress bar, the certificate will be available for immediate download. The certificate will also be saved in your account transcript.

Outline of Activity:

12:00- 12:05 pm: Introduction

12:06- 12:50 pm: Presentation

12:51- 1:00 pm: Q&A

1:00 pm: End of event

Registration closes on November 11, 2026, at 11:59 am ET. The course expires and cannot be completed after December 9, 2026.

Please contact [email protected] if you have questions, concerns, grievances, or for ADA accommodations.

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TO EARN CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE

1. Before the Event

  • Log in to Your Ethos Account:
    Access your Sheppard Pratt Ethos account and locate the activity by series, title, or speaker name.
  • Register for the Course:
    Go to the Register tab, click the green Take Course button, and follow the prompts.
  • Complete the required Pretest.
    Note: You cannot proceed beyond this point until your attendance is confirmed by entering the codeword.

  • To acccess the broadcast link:
    Close out of the course and go back to the Overview Tab of the course page to access the broadcast link. The live broadcast link is located on the Overview tab of the course page. You do not need the codeword to watch the broadcast.

 

2. Register to Watch the Live Broadcast (Separate from Course Registration)

Important: This registration is different from registering for the course in Ethos. You must complete both registrations to watch the broadcast and earn credit.

How to Register:

How to Join:

  • At the scheduled time use the same link.
  • If you have already registered, scroll down and click Already Registered, then enter your registered email address and click Submit.
  • The broadcast link will be active at 11:30 AM.

3. Download the Handout

  • The handout will be available for download on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET.
    Download Handout: 

4. During the Event

  • Attendance Verification:
    A codeword will be announced during the live broadcast. This codeword confirms your attendance and unlocks the remaining required components for credit.
  • How to Submit the Codeword:
    • Via Website: Go to https://cme.sheppardpratt.org/code and enter the codeword.
    • Via SMS: Text the codeword to 410-291-8061.
      Tip: Save this number in your contacts for convenience.
    • Via Course Progress Bar: You can type in the codeword in the box where it asks for it after you complete the Pretest.

Important:
The codeword submission window remains open for nearly four weeks. High traffic may cause delays immediately after the event. If the system is slow, wait and try again later.

5. After the Lecture

  • Go to My Account > Pending Courses and select the course by clicking the course title.
  • Click Take Course and use the navigation buttons in the lower right corner for best results.
  • Complete all components in the Course Progress Bar:
    • Posttest
    • Evaluation
    • Credit designation
  • Once completed, the certificate will be available for immediate download. Your transcript will reflect the earned credits.

Questions?

Visit our FAQ page or email [email protected].

Course summary

Available credit: 
  • 1.00 ACEP NBCC clock hours
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 Category I credits for Social Workers
  • 1.00 Psychologists
  • 1.00 MNA Contact Hours for Nurses
  • 1.00 Participation
Course opens: 
09/01/2026
Course expires: 
12/09/2026
Event starts: 
11/11/2026 - 12:00pm EST
Event ends: 
11/11/2026 - 1:00pm EST
Add to calendar: 
Rating: 
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Sheppard Pratt’s Professional Education Program is pleased to provide Grand Rounds at Sheppard Pratt free of charge as a public service to the mental health community.  Your tax-deductible donations will help maintain the outstanding quality of this service. 

Sheppard Pratt is dedicated to improving quality of life through mental health, special education, and addiction services for children, adolescents, adults and older adults.  Our patient-centered treatment approach, combined with our legacy of clinical excellence, sets us apart from other health systems on both a local and national level.  We have been ranked among the nation’s top psychiatric hospitals for 24 consecutive years by U. S. News & World Report.  Founded in 1853 by philanthropist Moses Sheppard, Sheppard Pratt Health System still abides by its Quaker traditions and values.

Sheppard Pratt regularly hosts renowned speakers from across the country at our headquarters in Towson. We provide educational opportunities on subjects including psychiatric disorders, issues of behavioral health, systems-based change, mental and somatic co-morbidities, psychiatric effects on health and health outcomes, advances in neurobiology, and clinical developments in concepts underlying drug treatment of psychiatric disorders. We are accredited by the Accreditation Council of Continuing Medical Education, the Maryland Nurses’ Association, the Maryland Board of Psychology, the Maryland Board of Social Work, and the National Board of Certified Counselors.

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Sheppard Pratt Professional Education Program
Grand Rounds Fund
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There is no commercial support for this activity.

About the speaker

Dr. Armontrout is the Program Director for the Stanford Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship and an Associate Clinical Professor with the Stanford Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He also serves as an attending psychiatrist in the Stanford Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Clinic and the Dual Diagnosis (addiction) clinic. He holds board certification in Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and board certification in Addiction Medicine from the American Board of Preventive Medicine. His clinical and forensic practice focuses primarily on assessing trauma-related disorders and substance use disorders but includes assessment of a wide range of both civil and criminal issues. Before joining Stanford Healthcare Dr. Armontrout served as a staff psychiatrist at the Palo Alto VA providing residential PTSD and substance use disorder treatment, including serving for a time as the Medical Director for the Menlo Park Trauma Recovery Program. 

Disclosure Statements

Sheppard Pratt holds the standard that its continuing medical education programs should be free of commercial bias and conflict of interest. In accord with Sheppard Pratt's Disclosure Policy, as well as standards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the American Medical Association (AMA), all planners, reviewers, speakers and persons in control of content have been asked to disclose any relationship he /she has with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months. All planners, reviewers and speakers have also been asked to disclose any payments accepted for this lecture from any entity besides Sheppard Pratt, and if there will be discussion of any products, services or off-label uses of product(s) during this presentation.

James Armontrout, MD, reports that he is the owner of a private practice and is a consultant for OpenAI.  The content of this presentation will not discuss the use of OpenAI and is unrelated to his consultancy. He will not discuss any products, services, or off-label uses in this presentation. All relationships have been mitigated through review.

Event Planners/Reviewers Disclosures: The following event planners and/or reviewers are reported as having no financial interest, arrangement or affiliation with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months: Todd Peters, MD, Michael C. Hann, MD, MBA, Ronald Means, MD, Rajeev Krishna, MD, PhD, MBA, Louis Marino, MD, Devi Bhuyan, PsyD, Manan Shah, MD, Vittoria DeLucia, MD, Chad J. Lennon, MD, Faith Dickerson, PhD, MPH, Carrie Etheridge, LCSW-C, Tom Flis, MS, BCBA, LBA, LCPC, Paula Bostwick, MSN, RN, CENP, Maggie O'Neill MSN, RN, PMH-BC, Lisa Illum, MLIS, MEd, and Jennifer Tornabene.

Physician Statement: Sheppard Pratt is accredited by The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.  Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity.  Sheppard Pratt designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurse Statement: Sheppard Pratt is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Maryland Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity. This activity provides 1.0 contact hours for nurses.

Psychologist Statement: Sheppard Pratt is authorized by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists as a sponsor of continuing education. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CE activity.  Sheppard Pratt designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 contact hours for Psychologists.

Social Worker Statement: Sheppard Pratt is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners of Maryland to offer continuing education for Social Workers.  Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CE activity. This activity is approved for 1.0 contact hours in Category I credits for Social Workers.

Counselor Statement:  Sheppard Pratt has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5098.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Sheppard Pratt is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.  This activity is available for 1.0 NBCC clock hours.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 ACEP NBCC clock hours
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 Category I credits for Social Workers
  • 1.00 Psychologists
  • 1.00 MNA Contact Hours for Nurses
  • 1.00 Participation
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Windows PC: 500-MHz Pentium II; Windows XP or higher; 128 MB RAM; Video Card at least 64MB of video memory; Sound Card at least 16-bit; Macromedia Flash Player 10 or higher, audio playback with speakers for programs with video content; Firefox 1.1+, Internet Explorer 7.0+, Safari 1.0+, Google Chrome, or Opera
Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.3 or higher with latest updates installed; 1.83MHz Intel Core Duo or faster; RAM: 128MB or more; Video Card: at least 64MB of video memory; Sound Card: at least 16-bit

Hardware/Software Specifications

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